Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- DAP eyeing over 150 seats in GE
- Deepak sues Najib for defamation
- Pakatan sure of winning nearly 140 federal seats, say sources
- PI Bala returning to help Pakatan in GE13, says lawyer
- Stop being a busybody, Karpal told
- DAP’s Ngeh muscling out PSM?
- Philippine navy blocks Sulu Sea
- ‘Stand up or sack me, Mr President’
- Aquino: Guns won’t solve it
- Najib wants Taib to continue as CM
- Freeze on federal projects?
- Kayveas and gang ambush Tamil daily
- As polls loom, PAS wavers over Anwar as PM
- For BN, EIU says GE13 already in the bag
| DAP eyeing over 150 seats in GE Posted: 21 Feb 2013 09:09 PM PST
(Bernama) -- The Democratic Action Party (DAP) is eyeing to contest more than 150 Parliamentary and State Assembly seats in the upcoming 13th General Election (GE13), and seeking RM15 million for its election campaigns. Its deputy chairman Tan Kok Wai said the final list of its candidates was being finalised and would be announced after the dissolution of Parliament and States Legislative Assemblies. The DAP National Election Bureau chairman also said the DAP would unveil its election manifesto this Monday, however the venue had not been finalised. Touching on the increased seats that the party would be contesting this upcoming election, Tan, who declined to elaborate on the new seats, however did not deny that some of the seats would overlap with their coalition partners in the opposition pact, PAS and PKR. He said this at a press conference to launch the party's fund raising campaign, here today. In the 2008 general election, the party had contested in 149 constituencies, including 47 parliamentary seats. In that election, the DAP won 28 parlimentary seats and 63 state seats.
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| Deepak sues Najib for defamation Posted: 21 Feb 2013 08:12 PM PST PKR leader Sivarasa and Deepak The controversial businessman hopes that his action will goad the prime minister to break his silence over the 2006 murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu. Anisah Shukry, FMT Controversial businessman Deepak Jaikishan today filed a defamation suit against Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in a bid to drag out the truth over the 2006 murder of Altantuya Shaaribuu. Deepak stressed the purpose of the suit was for the prime minister and his wife to publicly disclose their alleged role in Altantura's murder and P Balasubramaniam's statutory declaration (SD). "I am seeking their admission that they were directly involved in instructing me to change Balasubramaniam's SD. This is the main factor behind my suit," Deepak told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur High Court. "I am prepared to withdraw the suit if the prime minister comes forward by tomorrow to deny or confess his involvement in the SD." Otherwise, Deepak said, he would continue with the lawsuit and award any compensation or damages he received to Altantuya's family. He said he was hoping to claim RM100 million in damages, but had not included the figure in the statement of claim as per the rules of court. According to the statement of claim, which was filed at 3pm today by Deepak's lawyer R Sivarasa, Najib had defamed Deepak by uttering the words "it's not true. He [Deepak] is not a credible person". 'My credibility affected' "The plaintiff [Deepak] will state that the defendant [Najib] deliberately and with mala fide made the terrible accusation during a question and answer session at the press conference after the defendant chaired the Barisan Nasional supreme council meeting on the night of Jan 17, 2013. "The defendant uttered the defamatory words during the press conference as a response towards the statements made by the defendant since November 2012 which links the defendant and his wife, [Datin Seri] Rosmah Mansor with the creation of the second statutory declaration dated July 4, 2008 by private investigator P Balasubramaniam, in which Balasubramaniam withdrew the paragraphs that implicates the defendant in the first statutory declaration dated July 1, 2008," the statement reads. "Najib's statement has affected my credibility as a businessman, because he is the prime minister of Malaysia," Deepak said.
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| Pakatan sure of winning nearly 140 federal seats, say sources Posted: 21 Feb 2013 02:47 PM PST
Jahabar Sadiq, The Malaysian Insider Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is confident of snaring nearly 140 parliamentary seats in Election 2013, with wins in Sabah, Sarawak and Johor giving the pact a simple majority to form the government, say sources. The Malaysian Insider understands that PR leaders have calculated their chances in a number of states but their numbers hinge on getting opposition forces in Sabah on the same page. Despite PR's confidence, the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) has carried out surveys that show it can win up to 145 federal seats, above the 112 seats for a simple majority and below 148 seats for a two-thirds majority. Independent surveys however show BN can scrape through with 117 seats to PR's 105, with the latest electoral poll survey showing Umno's approval rating is near 40 per cent, far off from the approval rating for Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak. "Pakatan leaders are talking about winning 138 seats at least, maybe up to 140 with a lot of hard work that has been put in since 2008," a source told The Malaysian Insider, referring to the last general election where the three PR parties swept 82 federal seats and five states. The victories by the DAP, PAS and PKR, after an electoral pact in 2008, paved for PR's formation although the pact has yet to be registered. BN is the only registered political coalition in Malaysia. PR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had told the Bloomberg news service that the main battle for votes in Election 2013 will be in Sabah and Sarawak, which offer 56 of the 222 Parliament seats. Both Borneo states are seen as a "fixed deposit" for BN but an on-going Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into citizenship-for-votes in Sabah has put the ruling coalition in bad light. A stand-off with armed Sulu militants in the east coast town of Lahad Datu in Sabah has raised questions about Putrajaya's ability to defend its eastern-most state. It is understood that PR hopes to score big in Sarawak and Sabah, not just in urban areas where the dominant Chinese community favours opposition parties but also in several rural areas where PR leaders have received a warm welcome.
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| PI Bala returning to help Pakatan in GE13, says lawyer Posted: 21 Feb 2013 02:38 PM PST Bala to arrive in KL 6.00pm on Sunday Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider P. Balasubramaniam's decision to return to Malaysia for good this weekend is spurred by the ex-investigator's determination to help Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) campaign to capture Putrajaya in Election 2013, his lawyer Americk Singh Sidhu said today. The lawyer said Balasubramaniam or "PI Bala", who became famous following his explosive revelations on the 2006 murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu, had decided to come out of hiding and brave his return simply to participate in PR's polls campaign. "He wants to help campaign for the opposition," Americk told The Malaysian Insider when asked for the reason behind the timing of Balasubramaniam's sudden return. "He wants to join in with the rest of the Malaysian society to ensure there is a change in government... a long overdue change," he added. In an exclusive email interview with news portal Malaysiakini carried today, Balasubramaniam (picture) confirmed plans to return for good this Sunday and was quoted as saying that he hoped PR achieves its Putrajaya dream in the next polls. But Americk also raised concerns over Balasubramaniam's safety, saying he hoped Immigration officials would not find cause to give any trouble to the man. "They might deport him to Australia, though, won't they?" the lawyer said in jest, referring to the recent expulsion of Australian Senator Nick Xenophon who was deported home last weekend for posing a "security risk" to Malaysia. "But no, I should think there should be no problem. He (Balasubramaniam) is a Malaysian citizen, he has a Malaysian passport and he is just returning to his motherland. "He is no criminal or a bankrupt, he is an ordinary citizen who has the right to be here," he added. Asked if there are fears over Balasubramaniam's safety in public, Americk said there was no reason why the latter could not roam freely as he pleased. "I don't think anyone should attack him. He hasn't hurt anybody," he pointed out. He confirmed that Balasubramaniam will arrive at the KL International Airport at 6pm on Sunday.
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| Stop being a busybody, Karpal told Posted: 21 Feb 2013 02:31 PM PST The Chua-Boo spat in Johor (The Star) - A PKR branch leader has told DAP national chairman Karpal Singh to "stop being a busybody" and apologise for questioning the credibility of Johor PKR chief Datuk Chua Jui Meng. Bukit Bintang PKR branch deputy chairman Norzairi Jantan in a statement said that Karpal had no right to silence Chua, adding that PKR leaders answered to their party chairman and not to him. "Karpal is stupid for attacking Chua in public. Moreover, he shouldn't be criticising PKR leaders when he has been criticised by other DAP members over the party's central executive committee polls fiasco," he said. Norzairi added that DAP would surely lose in Johor without PKR and also demanded that Karpal apologise directly to Chua over his comments. It was reported that Karpal had chided Chua over his spat with Johor DAP chief Dr Boo Cheng Hau, who called for Chua's removal. Karpal, who is also Bukit Gelugor MP, also reportedly brought up the issue that Chua was a former MCA member and suggested an inquiry into claims made by Dr Boo.
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| Posted: 21 Feb 2013 02:05 PM PST Sources from Perak PSM and DAP confirmed the rift between them following both parties' interests in contesting the Jelapang state seat. G Vinod, FMT There seems to be no love lost between Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) and Perak DAP, with both vying for the "infamous" Jelapang seat. Although DAP is outwardly cordial, many remember that the party had issued a quiet boycott against PSM last year over its interest in contesting in Jelapang. Speaking to FMT, a PSM source said the boycott, although denied by DAP Perak, was "in force" between July and November last year and the "loop" had extended to its fellow Pakatan Rakyat partners who declined PSM invitations to the latter's functions. "It started in July last year. Former menteri besar Nizar Jamaluddin was supposed to attend one of our events. He intially agreed and we put up banners informing the public of his attendance. "But all of a sudden, he decided not to turn up. We thought it was an isolated incident but then we noticed that many Pakatan leaders, especially from DAP, decided not to attend many of our programmes," said the source. Upon investigation, the source alleged they learnt that the state DAP leadership had ordered a boycott of PSM's events in the state. On who issued the boycott, the source refused to divulge names, saying the matter was resolved after the Pakatan leadership in Perak had a closed-door meeting and revoked the Perak DAP's boycott. But now the issues have re-surfaced. According to the source, Pakatan and PSM are still discussing which party will contest in Jelapang but the DAP grapevine is spilling otherwise. Ngeh-Nga culprits In 2008, DAP won the Jelapang state seat through Hee Yit Foong. Hee, alongwith two other PKR elected representatives, defected to Barisan Nasional causing the democratically elected Pakatan government to fall to BN in a reverse takeover. Said the PSM source: "We all know the current Jelapang state assemblyperson [Hee] was formerly a DAP member before becoming BN-friendly and caused the Pakatan state government to collapse in 2009. "Despite all that, we continued to serve in Jelapang and the people there know us well. We even have three service centres at the area now. "DAP must understand that there is no longer a place called traditional seat after 2008. Race-based politics is also becoming a relic of the past. "In 2008, people looked at the party symbol first, then the candidate. But the situation now is reversed. It's the candidate first, then party," said the source. Meanwhile, a Perak DAP insider, when contacted, confirmed that a boycott was issued against PSM last year. The insider even accused Perak DAP chief Ngeh Koo Ham and secretary Nga Khor Ming of being behind the boycott. The duo are cousins. "Ngeh and Nga tried in every possible way to work in an unfriendly manner with PSM," said the insider. The insider also alleged that the DAP leaders issued a a threat against PSM not to go for the Jelapang seat. "The brothers said that they will field a DAP candidate for the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat if PSM insisted on the Jelapang state seat," alleged the DAP insider.
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| Philippine navy blocks Sulu Sea Posted: 21 Feb 2013 01:52 PM PST The navy says this is to prevent more followers of the Sultan of Sulu entering Sabah. (Agencies) - MANILA: The Philippine Navy has sealed off the so-called southern backdoor to prevent the followers of the Sultan of Sulu province from traveling to Sabah, where a standoff between the sultanate's followers and Malaysian security authorities persists. The naval blockade was one of the measures taken by the Philippine government to prevent the escalation of the already tense situation, meant to ease the tension in and around Lahad Datu, where hundreds of Filipinos were holed up. Lt. Commander Gregory Gerald Favic, Navy spokesman, on Thursday, said that six ships and an islander plane have been patrolling the Sulu Sea after Malaysian authorities reported the presence of loyal supporters of the sultanate. The group is headed by Raja Muda Azzimudie Kiram, a brother of Sultan Jamalul Kiram 3rd of Sulu. The Manila Times reports the Navy patrol team is keeping a close watch on the vicinity of the provinces of Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Basilan, home provinces of Kiram's mostly Tausog warriors. The naval patrol, he said, is for "security and stability of the situation." "We are avoiding the escalation of the issue," the Navy spokesman added. Favic clarified that the Navy's patrol and reconnaissance mission on the vast Sulu Sea was not requested by Malaysia. He added though that the Philippine Navy is ready to conduct joint maritime patrol operations with the Malaysian Navy within the disputed area. The Sulu Sea is a large body of water in the southwestern part of the country. Favic said that no one has been arrested trying to cross the southern backdoor going to Sabah so far. Heirs of the Sultan of Sulu said that their followers will stay put in Sabah, which they claim as theirs. The Filipinos are staying in the village of Tanduao, surrounded by Malaysian forces. Emissaries of the Philippine government continue to negotiate with the leaders of hundreds of members of the sultanate of Sulu, who rejected Malaysian demands to return to the Philippines. Government sources said that there is a plan to fly a Philippine Air Force C-130 transport plane to Sabah, or a naval boat to fetch Azzimudie's group and bring them back home. But whether such plans will be carried out "depends on the situation on the ground," a source, who is privy to the negotiations with the sultanate leaders said. Two weeks into the standoff, Malaysian officials are now calling for a drastic action against the sultanate's followers. Sabah's Daily Express quoted Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein as saying that there will be no compromise on the rights and safety of its people in resolving the intrusion of the Filipinos, some of them armed. "Since they had guns, it is important our action does not lead to bloodshed," he said. Malaysian security forces have surrounded the village, where the sultanate members are seeking refuge. "The issue is not political, not racial, no connection with the stand on sovereignty but in our context this is our land and this is something that can jeopardize the nation's security. This is why we are trying to handle wisely without bloodshed or loss of lives in our land," he said. He said that Malaysia is working closely with the Philippines to resolve the standoff.
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| ‘Stand up or sack me, Mr President’ Posted: 21 Feb 2013 01:47 PM PST In a scathing letter to G Palanivel, MIC leader S Vell Paari tells his president to push for action to be taken against Ridhuan Tee Abdullah and Ibrahim Ali, failing which, he will ask the Indians to vote for the opposition. RK Anand, FMT Still nursing the near fatal wounds sustained in the last general election, MIC is limping towards the frontline once again. And while its supporters remain optimistic, its detractors however believe that it would not survive the looming battle. Amidst this uncertain future comes a scathing open letter from an outspoken MIC leader to his president, which could plunge the Barisan Nasional component into a crisis just ahead of the polls. Aware of the risks and repercussions involved, S Vell Paari told FMT that he felt compelled to ink his thoughts since the issue transcended partisan politics. "It might be the wrong thing to do as a BN politician but I believe it is the right thing to do as a Malaysian who is fed up with those attempting to rip this nation apart," he said. In his letter, the MIC strategy director urged G Palanivel to push for stern action to be taken against academic Ridhuan Tee Abdullah for penning an article which disparaged those who professed the Hindu faith as well as Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali. Failing which, Vell Paari warned that he would put into motion a proposal to call on Indians not to cast their ballots for the ruling coalition in the coming polls. "If no action is taken against Ridhuan and Ibrahim, I would push forward my proposal in advising the Indians who to vote for. I would use the MIC platform to go forward with my proposal. "The only way for you [Palanivel] to stop me is to sack me. The ball is in your court," read the letter, which was copied to FMT. Vell Paari said that Palanivel should raise this matter during next week's Cabinet meeting and press Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to make a stand. The MIC leader also clarified that he was asking the president to take the lead based on protocol. "As a MIC member, where we represent Indians of all faiths and a member of a race called Malaysian, I cannot remain quiet on this sort of issues any longer, which tend to crop up with increasing frequency. The community wants to know what is our response. "We berate Pakatan Rakyat for breaking temples but keep quiet on these insults. If the reverse had happened [a Hindu insulting Islam], all hell would have broken loose," he said. "With regard to the controversy regarding the use of the word Allah, it went to the extent where a certain imbecile called for Bibles to be burnt. Why must is it always be a one-way street when it comes to our [non-Muslim] sensitivity?" he added. 'We are not children of a lesser God' Vell Paari said that when he criticised Ridhuan, he had to recharge his mobile phone several times as he was flooded with calls in support of his stand both from within and outside MIC. "If we continue to remain silent on such issues because we are afraid of antagonising certain powers- that-be, then we might as well close shop and convert the MIC headquarters into a banana leaf restaurant. We cannot hold our heads high, when our tails are between our legs," he added. Vell Paari pointed out that Ridhuan, who was an associate professor with the National Defence University, also held other government-related positions. "He is a committee member of the Islamic Consultative Council in the Prime Minister's Department, a national council member of the Muslim Welfare Organisation (Perkim) and executive facilitator at the civil service integrity enhancement unit in the Islamic Development Department. "He sits in these positions including the Prime Minister's Department and hits out at MIC, a member of the government that he is employed by. This is a clear case of insubordination and defiance of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's 1Malaysia concept," he said. "If Ibrahim calls for the torching of Bibles to protect his faith, then what should our reaction be towards someone who had insulted our faith and the Thaipusam festival? "Who are Ridhuan and Ibrahim to talk about non-Muslims and our religions? In what way are we children of a lesser God? We too have every right to stand up and protect the God we pray to. This country is our home as much as it is theirs. They should be charged with sedition," he stressed.
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| Posted: 21 Feb 2013 01:33 PM PST President Benigno Aquino says if you use guns, the other side will have only one possible response. (FMT) - MANILA: The drastic action being pursued by the sultanate of Sulu to press its claim to the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah is not the best way to resolve the ownership dispute, President Benigno Aquino warned on Thursday. "If you [use] guns, of course, the other side will have only one possible response to [your] challenge," Aquino said, breaking his silence on the standoff between Malaysian security forces and a group of armed followers of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III in Tanduao village in Lahad Datu town in Sabah. "[T]hat cannot be the solution," the president told reporters in an interview here. The president inadvertently confirmed a report published by the Inquirer on Thursday that his administration was silently working through emissaries to convince Jamalul to recall his followers from Sabah so that the standoff could be resolved peacefully. "[W]e have been dealing with this. We have been talking to parties concerned, including the family of the sultan, to ensure that there will be a peaceful resolution to this," Aquino said. The Philipine Inquirer reports him as saying that the matter is not entirely in the government's hands. "There has to be cooperation among all entities to achieve, first, a resolution of the current crisis and, later on, what could be a long-term solution to this dispute," Aquino said. The standoff between Malaysian police, military and naval forces and the Sulu sultan's followers is now in its second week. Aquino said he expected that Malaysia would not give away Sabah without a fight. He disclosed that he had long tasked a legal team to study the basis of the Philippines' claim to Sabah. "Any country [that] has territory will be naught to give up sovereignty. And Malaysia has not been—I think forever—they have been very, very friendly to us. And they have been very, very supportive to us. And we have to, as a brother nation in (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations), also respond," he said. Malaysia also brokered the peace talks between the Aquino administration and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The two sides signed a preliminary peace agreement last October, and they are thrashing out a final peace accord that they hope to conclude this year. Sultan's brother According to Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, the government has asked Esmail Kiram II, a brother of Jamalul, to talk to the sultan and convince him to recall the armed group led by their brother Agbimuddin Kiram from Sabah. Roxas said a military general, a police general and a provincial official had been communicating with Esmail to ask him to help end the crisis in Sabah. He said other government emissaries were talking to Jamalul, who is undergoing dialysis treatment in a Manila hospital. Esmail was traveling to Manila from Zamboanga City on Thursday to meet with Jamalul, Roxas said. The idea, he said, is for Esmail to travel to Sabah to talk to Agbimuddin about ending the standoff and going home to Sulu. "Our officials have communicated with Esmail to consult with Sultan Jamalul to obtain his guidance because the government has asked Esmail, in view of the sultan's illness or need for dialysis, to go to Sabah to talk to his brother prince," Roxas said on the phone. Come home Through Esmail, he said, the government is sending a message to Agbimuddin, "Come home peaceably." "The message of the government is that nothing will be attained through force and aggression," Roxas said. "We must try to find a way to resolve the standoff and pursue their claim in other [forums]," he added. The Malaysian authorities have agreed to give Agbimuddin and his group time to talk to a "prominent figure" before they leave Tanduao to be deported to the Philippines. The authorities have given them until Friday to decide whether to leave on their own or be rounded up and deported. Esmail could be the "prominent figure" Agbimuddin's group is waiting for. "The best person to talk with Agbimuddin is his brother and fellow claimants," Roxas said.
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| Najib wants Taib to continue as CM Posted: 21 Feb 2013 01:26 PM PST Sarawak's future brighter under Taib as he has yet to exploit its resources to take the state forward, says prime minister. Joseph Tawie, FMT KUCHING: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak yesterday made it very clear that he wants Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud to continue to lead the Sarawak state government. "Sarawak has tremendous potential to become a developed state. It has yet to exploit its resources. What you need is someone like Taib so that Sarawak will enjoy a brighter future. "What you need is a BN state government under his leadership," Najib told a crowd of about 10,000 at a Chap Goh Meh dinner at MJC Batu Kawah, in Kuching last night. "We will work closely with the state government, my promise and my commitment is that when Malaysia becomes fully develop, Sarawak will also become fully develop," he said. His endorsement of Taib to lead the state comes in the wake of speculation that the Chief Minister may be pressured by the BN leadership to step down before the general election. Taib marks his 32nd year as Chief Minister on March 26 and has been blamed for the loss of 13 Chinese majority seats in the last state election and one parliamentary seat in a by-election. Taib had promised to step down several times but until now there is no sign of him doing so. There are still some who want the prime minister to pressure Taib to step down as they fear his continued leadership would affect SUPP's performance in the coming election. SUPP which has been allocated seven parliamentary seats is in danger of losing six – Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Sarikei, Sibu, Lanang and Miri to the opposition. Bandar Kuching and Sibu are being held by DAP. Najib: We will help the Chinese Najib made no mention about Taib stepping down. Instead he wants him to continue to lead because he feels Taib can deliver at least 20 of 31 parliamentary seats to the BN coalition. He reminded SUPP leaders that they must be united and put aside their personal differences especially as the coming general election would be a litmus test for the party.
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| Posted: 21 Feb 2013 11:50 AM PST
(Selangor Times) - Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Datuk Zaleha Yusof yesterday decided that the speed cameras were erected on areas that have been declared as federal roads by the minister. The state is not the owner of the land and so neither MP Sepang nor Selangor have a say over structures built on it. Selangor is considering halting all federal projects following yesterday's High Court decision to disallow the Sepang Municipal Council (MPSepang) from removing the controversial Automated Enforcement System (AES) cameras. "The state government is disappointed with the Kuala Lumpur High Court decision that local governments have no power over structures built on Federal roads, "If we have no right to control structures in the state then we cannot manage it well," said Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim during a press conference yesterday. The state has ordered the State Economic Planning Unit to prepare a list of Federal projects on highways and Prasarana's Light Rail Transit (LRT) project for review by the state executive council to ensure the interests of the public and state are protected. Meanwhile, projects which have been approved should be suspended temporarily until the issue is resolved. Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Datuk Zaleha Yusof yesterday decided that the speed cameras were erected on areas that have been declared as federal roads by the minister. The state is not the owner of the land and so neither MP Sepang nor Selangor have a say over structures built on it. She added that Selangor was under "constitutional obligation" to not interfere as highways are Federal roads. "The Selangor government does not have jurisdiction on the North-South Expressway (Plus) and the South Klang Valley expressway (SKVE) as such powers lie with the federal government and the Public Works Department. "Hence, the company (Beta Tegap Sdn Bhd) need not have permission from the Sepang Municipal Council to erect the AES poles on the federal roads. The application is allowed and as this is a matter of public interest I make no order as to costs." However, Khalid said Selangor will be appealing the High Court decision. "We will be getting the state legal adviser and the MPSepang's legal department to review the judicial records and then file an appeal," he said. Khalid reiterated that the state and local governments should be able to have control over all structures built in Selangor including AES and advertising billboards. The AES cameras were installed last year along the North-South Expressway (PLUS) and the South Klang Valley Expressway (SKVE) without the proper applications and approvals by MPSepang. Following this, two notices were issued by MP Sepang last November requesting the contractor to put in a formal application for the AES camera structures. However, the notices were disregarded and the contractor was subsequently issued another letter dated Dec 6 to dismantle the cameras within 14 days. The contractor then challenged the council's directive and filed a leave application for a judicial review in the High Court on Dec 12, which was granted on Dec 19.
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| Kayveas and gang ambush Tamil daily Posted: 21 Feb 2013 11:40 AM PST
(Free Malaysia Today) - It is said that the politician is upset over an article which claims that the ruling coalition has failed the Indians. Enraged over a news article, People's Progressive Party president M Kayveas and a group of his supporters ambushed Tamil vernacular daily, Malaysia Nanban's office in Jalan Ipoh here this afternoon. The blue T-shirt wearing mob was looking for the writer of an article who had called on Indians to demand for their rights since the ruling coalition had failed them. The writer, who used a pseudonym, urged the Indian community to press both BN and Pakatan Rakyat to fulfill their demands on several issues such as education and eradicating crime ahead of the general election. Six police patrol cars were deployed to the scene to contain the situation. It is learnt that the entourage hurled obscenities at the Tamil newspaper's staff and accused the editorial team of repeatedly painting Kayveas and PPP in a bad light. It is also learnt that Kayveas' group had manhandled a Malaysia Nanban journalist. Unhappy with a critical article "Kayveas, Kuala Lumpur PPP chief A Chandrakumanan and a group of 60 people were here demanding to meet our freelance writer since afternoon," he said. Malayandy said Kayveas and his supporters were unhappy with the article published by the newspaper yesterday, which they claimed was critical of the party. "They want to know why we published the article. Basically the article was an overall review of all political parties. "In one paragraph the writer stated that the PPP was giving the best service by providing free food for the people. The writer also questioned whether Indians would vote in favour of BN if free food was given to the people. "I told Kayveas and the group that if they disagreed with the article, they can issue a rebuttal which we would publish. However they demanded in meeting with the writer," said Malayandy. Police at the scene
Many of Kayveas' supporters were also seen standing outside Malaysia Nanban's office. FMT also learnt that a Malaysia Nanban reporter was hurt when the mob barged into the office. Crime reporter LK Raj said he was trying to shield his superiors when he was manhandled. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/02/21/bn-leader-and-gang-ambush-tamil-daily/ |
| As polls loom, PAS wavers over Anwar as PM Posted: 21 Feb 2013 11:38 AM PST
(The Malaysian Insider) - PAS leaders have questioned Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's candidacy as prime minister should Pakatan Rakyat (PR) win federal power in Election 2013, with one confirming they have also sounded out Umno's Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for the top post. Sources told The Malaysian Insider the questions arose at a closed-door meeting between PAS and PKR leaders on Sunday, after party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said last Saturday the Islamist party would not hesitate to leave the opposition pact should Islam and Malays lose out in coalition politics. "PAS top leaders said it was 'haram' (illegal) for Anwar to ask for the prime minister post," a PR source told The Malaysian Insider on condition of anonymity. "Then a top PKR leader replied that Anwar had never asked for the prime minister post, and that it was the people instead who called for it. This has also been agreed to by PAS and other parties like DAP since the 1999 general election," the source added. Another PR source said the party's top leaders have met with Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh to invite the former finance minister to be prime minister should PR wrest Putrajaya in the approaching national polls. "But Pakatan must keep in mind that they must be consistent about who will be prime minister-elect. Otherwise the people will see us as flip-flops," said the source, using the phrase that has been directed at their political foes, Barisan Nasional (BN). It was unclear if the PAS leaders' move is widely supported within the Islamist party. PAS leaders from spiritual chief Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat to its MPs have all along supported Anwar as PM. Still, there appear to be some moves to assure the PAS grassroots that it is the eminent member of PR and one way to show this is by getting the PM's post. However, this grandstanding by PAS is unlikely to pay off with the DAP and PKR firmly in support of Anwar as prime minister. The issue of who would be prime minister should PR form the next federal government arose two weeks ago when the PAS syura council reportedly rejected Anwar as prime minister and would instead appoint an outside candidate for the post. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/as-polls-loom-pas-wavers-over-anwar-as-pm/
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| For BN, EIU says GE13 already in the bag Posted: 21 Feb 2013 11:35 AM PST
(Bernama) - The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), which is part of the respected London-based magazine, "The Economist", predicts that the Barisan Nasional (BN) will win the 13th General Election (GE13) based on its successful track record, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's reform agenda and his successful economic leadership. For international observers, the outcome of the upcoming polls is already clear, that the BN will be victorious, the EIU said. It also said the opposition Pakatan Rakyat has been making "costly promises" to gain power, and these were a big stumbling block. On all these counts, Pakatan Rakyat comes a distant second, prompting the EIU to predict BN will be the winner. The EIU, a think-tank which offers regular country, industry and risk analysis, said that "it is clearly not feasible" for Pakatan to implement all of its campaign promises. "For example, providing free secondary education would cost the government RM43 billion, while abolishing car duty would cut tax revenue by RM4.6 billion a year," it said. The EIU pointed out that Pakatan had broken many of its earlier promises, including financial assistance for pre-school education, for university students, senior citizens and the disabled; free healthcare for those over 65; lower property taxes; and assistance for home buyers. On all these counts, Pakatan's populism has remained just hot air. In Selangor, for example, BN claimed that Pakatan has implemented only 15 per cent of its 31 election pledges, RM2.4 billion worth, made in its 2008 general election manifesto. "Selangor Mentri Besar (Tan Sri Abdul) Khalid Ibrahim commented that a manifesto is not a promise but conceded that voters may think otherwise," the EIU noted. Compared this with BN's successful track record in fulfilling its promises, and you have a clear difference in approach. For instance, Najib has promised Penang 20,000 affordable houses and a monorail service to ease traffic congestion, and if BN comes to power in the state, voters can be sure that these plans would be implemented. "The stakes are high for both (BN and Pakatan)... the bidding war is likely to continue as both sides make preparations for what is being billed as one of the hardest-fought elections in Malaysia's history," the report said. "Both will need to appeal to young, first-time voters, given that nearly three million people in this crucial voting bloc have been added to the electoral register since the last election," it added. The EIU claimed the "bulk of this group" was undecided about which party to vote for and could swing the outcome of the election. Najib needed to win big in order to secure the future of his reform agenda, while on the other hand, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wanted to be the first to break the BN's stranglehold on power. Meanwhile, Umno is upbeat with only weeks left for the polls, as Najib said the party machinery was in the final stages of its preparations. "We have received the audit report on our machinery and from there I can say our preparations are satisfying. At the same time, I hope the efforts to strengthen our preparations will continue to be carried out by leaders at the state level," he told reporters after the Umno supreme council meeting last Friday. Najib, who is also Umno president and BN chairman, made the selection of winnable candidates the focus of his strategy, making it clear that the BN should field candidates with the best chance of winning, regardless of which BN component party had kept the seats previously. Another key reason for the ruling coalition's strong morale is the "gravity defying" growth of 5.2 per cent that the country is enjoying under Najib's leadership, along with a jump in domestic and foreign investments. And to top it all, per capita income hit US$9,700 from US$7,500 in 2010. The EIU agrees with the upward trajectory: "Following an estimated expansion of 5.2 per cent in 2012, we expect GDP to grow at the same rate during the 2013-17 forecast period." Growth figures announced yesterday by the Statistics Department showed that the economy accelerated to 6.4 per cent growth in the last quarter of 2012 and supporting the full year growth to expand by 5.6 per cent from 5.1 per cent a year earlier. Against such a backdrop, the EIU said: "No wonder the writing is on the wall for Pakatan as it tries to cobble together some opposition unity between its squabbling leaders before the polls."
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